The Howling Hour
by JJBluebell
Summary: Merlin, Arthur and the knights go after a group of thieve's but are helped by an unknown woman, Merlin is instantly drawn to her, but why does she hide in the shadows, scared of the sun on her face? who could this girl be? Merlin/OC PLEASE REVIEW!
1. Chapter 1

Arthur was leading the nights in a good old hunt, but this was not for any animal, the King had received word of thieves lining the trees of the forest, but unlike those who would rob you and leave these would kill the men, violate the women and torture the children, they deserved their death! Merlin lingers back, just behind his king as he signals for silence and stillness, the sounds of laughter and a men's screams come from the west. They quickly dismount and stealthily, hurriedly make their way over to the echo's only to see a carriage of cargo being ravaged by around sixteen, eighteen men, the bodies of the drivers thrown to the ground lifelessly, except for the third, the driver who they continued to torment! They attacked quickly, needing to save the man, cargo was replaceable but a man's life is not!

As Merlin fights at his friends sides, slyly using magic when needed he sees figure descend from the ridge above them, immediately thrusting themselves into the fight, saving Elion from one of the brutes with a swing of the curved swords in their hand, another large dagger in the other, the handle a white pearl ivory, carved into the head of wolf at the end, the blade a shimmering black, as she briskly moves onto the next kill before the knight can witness his savior. As the long silver haired warrior fights Merlin sees the others doing much better with the thieves, but then sees the black leather, bright metal covered rouge is about to be struck with an axe and mutters under his breath, watching as the man is suddenly thrown into a tree.

Silver hair whips around to see what had happened, giving the sorcerer his first glimpse of her face… her skin is moonlit white, her lips petal kissed pink and her right eye is a ashen iced blue, but her other is cloudy white, a long claw scar racing from her brow, across her eye, to her slender neck, distorting her blatant beauty, but to Merlin, as a small smile graces her face and she gives a nod of thanks he swears he's never seen anything more beautiful while she continues in the battle, they both do!

Merlin Looks to Arthur reaching for his sword as he had fallen, about to be attacked and before Merlin can react a wolf lunges from the trees, ripping the man's throat from his neck. Arthur grabs his sword and ready's himself for the hounds attack, but it never comes, the wolf just looks from the king, blood dripping from his gray fur and sharp fangs and… leaves, returning to his woodland home. The king blinks in a state of shock then quickly returns to dispatching the bandits.

As the knights and manservant seem to be winning the battle, Merlin finds that the female warrior has vanished, the battle won and man saved, but the only thing on the young warlock's mind is this '_who was that?' _ As the knights busy themselves with checking on each other, Arthur having already looked to the boy, sharing a smile signaling 'I'm fine', and tending to the man and each other's wounds, not noticing as a clothed hand covers the raven haired man's mouth, slipping him into darkness and three of the cowardly thieves caring him out of site.

The last thing he hears before tumbling into forced slumber is the cry of his distressed King, his worried friend "Merlin?"

When the warlock awakens its dark and he's tied to a tree, he sighs in annoyance "oh, bloody brilliant!"

He then see's the campfire and two men discussing him "it's a known fact the king's got a soft spot for the boy, he'll pay!"

"Well if he doesn't I'm giving him you!" the other man retorts, Merlin watching them as he magically unties himself from the tree and quietly backs away from them, and into something hard!

He turns to find a built man glaring down at him, Merlin smiles and wave innocently "Hello there!"

Only to be punched hard in the face, then again in the stomach, the other men seem to notice their ransom being violently beaten and run over "Trevor stop, we need him alive!"

The giant ogre also known as Trevor hits Merlin in the side, forcing him to topple over onto the ground, bruised bleeding and in pain "alive don't been intact!"

As the three share a laugh Merlin quickly mumbles the words for a sleep spell, making each man fall to the floor, one on top of him, he's just grateful it's not Trevor! After rolling the man off him he stands and runs with all he can, fighting off the pain, but he has no idea where he is, what way he's going, but he soldiers on through the dark unforgiving forest… because he had to.

After about two hours Merlin falls to his knees, hand out to steady his broken gaze, what he sees with hazed eyes makes him fight exhaustion to want to defend himself, not ten feet from him is a grey and white wolf, looking at him with its head tilted as he can't fight any longer. The wizard falls to the soft ground beneath him as he sees an outline of another figure, one with silver hair "hush young warlock, you are safe… rest now"

And he finds himself the next morning, the sun warming his tender skin and sits up, gasping in slight pain, but finding not only is he covered with a blanket, a burnt out fire beside him and a horse tied to a tree but the major of his wounds vanished or lessened into meager scrapes. He looks around in wonderment only to see a dagger resting against a piece of parchment that reads '_Camelot lies east of here, a half days ride, take the horse. You may also take the dagger for protection… Safe travels my friend' _

As Merlin looks to the dagger he remembers it, the wolf handle and coal black curved blade, this belongs to the woman from the battle! He stands carefully and looks around the empty trees, searching for his rescuer but finds no sign of the girl. He folds the letter, placing it into his pocket and slipping the blade into his belt as he mounts the horse, before he leaves he once again looks to the forest that are just as empty as before and shouts "thank you… whoever you are!"

As he rides off the scarred beauty peers out from behind the tree, no longer in her armor but dressed in a simple pretty green dress, a small smile on her face, a gray and white wolf at her side, nuzzling into her stroking hand on his head "your very welcome… Emrys"


	2. Chapter 2

As Merlin walks into the throne room his king quickly throws his arms around him, the boy had been spotted entering the kingdom not more than ten minutes ago and was quickly ushered to his worried ruler, each knight hugged their friend in relief, Arthur sending word for the search party to return and Merlin to see Guise about his injury's, after he lied and said he snuck off after they fell asleep, managing to unto the rope.

As he enters the apothecary the old man hugs the warlock "you had us all very worried Merlin, so how did you escape?"

"I cast a sleep spell after the big one beat the hell out of me and ran for it!" he laughs and takes off his shirt so the physician examines the white muscular torso of the servant boy

"Don't be so dramatic, you're merely bruised!" he says as the boy jumps, being poked in the side with bruised ribs

The warlock winces and sighs "only since this morning, last night I was bleeding from my head, I'm sure I had a few broken ribs and maybe even a punctured lung!"

The older man just looks at him in confusion "what are you on about Merlin?"

"Yesterday, during the fight with those thieves I saw a girl; she joined the fight with us but vanished before it ended! And when I woke up this morning there was a fire pit, I was covered with a blanket, there was the hoarse and this!" he says pulling the note and dagger from inside the pocket of his discarded jacket beside him

Guise basically casts the letter aside but marvels at the blade in wonder "my god, Merlin do you have any idea what this is? This dagger belongs to a member of…The Ascended!"

"The Ascended, what's that?" the confused sorcerer asks as he pulls his tunic back over his head

The wizards guardian goes over to his books, looking through them as he explains "The Ascended are an animal spiritual clan that was formed thousands of years ago, The Deer, Crow, Bear and Wolf. In the beginning they were as one, each holding a power from the natural elements, as well as a connection to their animal guide but over time they were each pulled into different paths and a silent war erupted, they all died in the final battle and the spirits moved on finding a soul they deemed worthy of their power! ...the daggers where made long before the battle, carved from the purest and darkest of stone, for balance of the magic, then bathed in the river of the blessed! …whomever this woman was Merlin, as an Ascended she has trusted you with a great gift!"

The wizards eyes widen is shock as he looks to the dagger handed back to him and can't help but ask "why me?"

Later that night as the raven haired man lays in his bed he can't help but look to the dagger he'd placed under his pillow, his eyes drifting as a voice calls to him in the land of dreams '_Emrys…'_

_Merlin looks around and finds himself in the woods once more, but now hears a giggling sound and follows it as a flash of silver passes a tree "wait!"_

_He tracks the gliding silver into a meadow, when he sees her standing in the center covered by firefly's as they swim around her "who are you?"_

_The scarred beauty turns to him, her armor, moonlit skin and star kissed hair and eyes practically shining, the peach color of the scar coursing shadows on her unblemished completion but then she smiles, sweet and tender. She walks over to him, tilts her head up to see him properly as she raises a finger to her lips "shush!"_

_Then they hear a soft music in the distance as she brushes a hand over his cheek gently, she moves to his neck, pulling away the scarf so it falls to the gentle ground below. Her fingertips graze the flesh of his neck, a shiver running down his spine at the sensation and his sharp blue eyes locking with her mismatched ones, he feels safe here, at peace with a woman whose name he doesn't know. _

_Her other hand cups his jaw, her thumb stroking against his bottom lip, she leans forward on her toes and her lips graze over his but suddenly the scene is gone and a flash of light crosses his eyes, a mist of crimson covers the forest floor and a cloud of screams echo past the trees_

Merlin sits up straight in his bed, a cold sweat on his brow as the sun grazes his skin. He sets about his morning duties, happy to be home and keeping Arthur out of trouble, he sets himself back into his routine easily and but as he sits with Arthurs washing, sleeves rolled up and hands in the soapy water when Gawain walks into the room "morning Merlin, Arthur wants everyone in the main hall… seems we have some guests!"

Merlin nods thanks to his friend as he hurry's to dry his hands and right's his clothes, making his way to the main hall. On arrival he goes to his king's side that snips "you took your time, at least you don't smell like the tavern!"

The warlock gives a tight smile and mutters "not like was doing your dirty washing… like bloody always!"

Then the double door of the room open and in walks a smartly dressed noble man with dark blond hair and a gold crown, his hand in that of an elegant blonde woman dressed in a matching green attire as her husband "Lord and Lady Redwood…"

They bow before the king in a kind greeting as the door man says "with their children the young Lord Edgar and Lady Alice"

As the two walk in the male resembles his father but has his mother's green eyes and is also dressed in the family colors of green and silver, however the girl is wearing a white dress with s pale green sash, Merlin's breath catches in his throat as many try not the stare at the silver haired girl, a claw mark down her face. They bow before the king, but Alice's eyes linger on the warlock "we're grateful to finally meet you… my king!"

She smiles to the man she knows as Emrys, a wolf trailing behind her with black leather collar, a silver pendant with an emerald embedded into the material "you are most welcome here in Camelot, we're honored to receive you."

They each smile and nod in gratitude, Merlin's eyes never leaving that of the silver haired beauty, the Ascended… Lady Alice Redwood, with her coy smile… what does she want from him? Why is she here and mostly why is Merlin blushing like an idiot?


End file.
